Stress Management During Finals

By Brittany Wilson

MC 4356F.1

It’s a fact of college life: when finals roll around, students experience emotional and physical stress. The pressure of college life and overbearing study loads often leave students freaking out and unable to focus. With finals in less than a month, Megan Perkins, spanish junior, said her fall 2008 semester has been one of the most stressful.

“I’m taking 15 hours and I have a lot of homework to do,” she said. “I feel like there is not enough time to get it all done.”

Perkins said to deal with the intense workload she does yoga to relieve her stress. She said she also takes breaks while studying to talk to friends, which helps her relax. She said it is difficult for her to relax if her house is not clean and organized, and she tries to keep up to give her more time to focus on her schoolwork.

Ismael Muniz, public relations senior, is graduating in December and taking 12 hours this semester.

             “Just knowing that I need to have something lined up after this semester makes me stressed, but I still have to be a regular student and get homework done, too,” he said.

Muniz said at times he feels like everything is coming down on him at once, and the stress can be overwhelming. He said he eases his anxieties by cooking and barbecuing with friends.

            While there is no getting around the workload, there are helpful ways to reduce some stress and tackle test anxiety. Dr. Elizabeth Scott’s article “Low-Stress Study Tips for Final Season” from About.com gives tips to alleviate stress so students can yield the best results on exams.

§  REDUCE TEST ANXIETY: Although some stress is natural and can be motivating, too much may ruin concentration. If anxiety causes frustration during an exam, visualizations of calming situations and deep, controlled breathing exercises have proven to be relaxing.

§  GET QUALITY SLEEP: Having a clear mind relies on being well rested. If a busy schedule is affecting the quantity and quality of sleep, remember to budget time and avoid sleep-damaging activities such as drinking caffeine or over-thinking. By managing stress, the quality of sleep improves.

*DO NOT resort to all-night study marathons. They most often lead to a scattered brain and increased anxiety.

§  KEEP HEALTHY HABITS: Eating healthy and sleeping well keeps stress at a manageable level. Make sure to get all the vitamins needed to keep the body and mind performing at its highest level. Avoid junk food and caffeine. Although they seem to be the most convenient and easiest energy-burst, they will end up causing more harm than good. Quality sleep is the most effective way to avoid being too tired to be productive, and without it stress can take over emotions.

§  GET ORGANIZED: Organization at home and school reduces stress and prepares the mind for what it needs to take in. Clutter causes distractions and confusion. Specific tips for staying organized include studying in advance to increase time efficiency, creating a quiet and clean study space and making competent notes, such as note cards with the most important facts.

§  HAVE A GOOD STUDY GROUP: Studying in a group can be beneficial. Having several versions of notes helps in remembering important pieces of information and figuring out how much information has already been retained. However, the wrong kind of group could just waste time. Be sure and pick a focused group of students that has the most correct answers and will motivate others rather than distract them. It is fine to make the study sessions more interesting with food, music or quick quizzes, but make sure the group stays focused.

If those tips aren’t enough to get students through finals, the Texas State University Counseling Center offers stress-reduction training workshops, one-on-one counseling and group sessions. The Counseling Center’s newest program involves the EmWave, a biofeedback technology.

“EmWave is a ‘fun entertaining stress relief technology that helps balance your emotions, mind and body,’” the Center’s Web site says.

The Web site says the EmWave provides effective control over emotional stress reactions, an improvement in mental concentration and a reduction of the negative effects stress can cause.

A one-hour orientation and training session offered at the LBJ Student Center in room 3-9.1 teaches students how to use the EmWave. For more information, contact the Texas State University Counseling Center at (512) 245-2208.